346 Timehri. 



sent a fleet to the colon)', and, alas, the little mud fortress suffered. 

 It was pulverised and the British suffered a reverse, and for a while 

 the dependency of Demerarv knew them no more. The French founded 

 the hamlet of Longchamps, and on their return the Dutch, finding the 

 town already more or less established, determined to give up their old 

 idea of building their city at Pin. Wales, where the Hoobahoo creek would 

 always give them a veiy good supply of fresh water. They therefore 

 settled down at Longchamps and rechristened the place Stabroek. 



We next hear of our present meeting place about 1800, as occupied 

 by a hospital — Demerary's first hospital — up to this time the sick were 

 treated in a coffee logie in La Bourgade. The hospital here was called 

 the Seamen's Hospital, but as a matter of fact it must have been more 

 than a Seamen's Hospital, for many of us have doubtless studied with 

 feelings of pity for its past inmates the remains of the old Mad House 

 which are to be seen here at the east of the Museum. Its brick walls 

 and iron doors are still in existence and they form part of the old building 

 which I think is still used for Government purposes. The occupants of 

 the hospital were later removed to a building on the present site of the 

 Colonial Hospital to-day. At one time I had the honour of being a 

 governor or director, or whatever the term was, but the office has long 

 since been abolished. To-day our hospital is not only the largest 

 and best equipped in the West Indies but for research is second to 

 none in the tropical world. The old remains of Demerary's first hos- 

 pital ultimately developed into the Royal Agricultural and Commercial 

 Society. It is the fashion to disparage the present and its personalities 

 in comparison with the past. To my mind unless this can be done so as 

 to draw some object lesson which will improve and better the times we 

 live in, then such a comparison is harmful. It can only cause dissatis- 

 faction and unrest, but be this as it may, it in no way prevents our 

 acknowledging the gigantic intellect and force of character of the young 

 Scotsman who founded our Society and who started a concern which was 

 to prove such a factor in the advancement of this colony. I can fancy I 

 hear the bleat of the pessimist of those days as the matter was discussed 

 in the Societe Endract, the Union Coffee House. " My dear fellow, I 

 never heard a more quixotic thing in all my life. Have nothing to do 

 with it I tell you. It will never pay. Rather use your energies in 

 criticising our new koker. It is a disgrace. The Colonial Architect's 

 Department — which used to be the Public Works Department in those 

 days — has completely gone to the dogs ; there should be a commission. 

 Come along and have a sangaree with me and we will talk it over." But 

 our founder had no time for grumblers. His mind ever harked back 

 to the old deserted hospital to be turned into an institution which was to 

 appeal to every calling in this colony. 



Th-re was to be an Agricultural Society, the Commercial News 

 Room, the Literary Society, and the Museum. Indeed his dreams went 

 further, because in those days there were no thoroughly well-conducted 

 clubs and he thought this Society might supply that much required want. 



